Cody Rhodes is positioned to headline Night 1 of WrestleMania 42, where he will face Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The match is scheduled to take place after Rhodes lost the title to McIntyre earlier this year on the January 9th, 2026 episode of SmackDown in a gripping Three Stages of Hell Match. The bout ended dramatically when Jacob Fatu returned and attacked both competitors, allowing McIntyre to escape the Steel Cage and claim the championship.
Reports from the Wrestling Observer suggest that Rhodes and McIntyre will square off in the main event of WWE’s biggest annual showcase. There is also talk that Jacob Fatu might be involved in the match, turning it into a Triple Threat contest. Rhodes and McIntyre have a history of intense encounters throughout 2025, with Rhodes successfully defending his title against McIntyre multiple times before losing it.
Reflections on Last Year’s WrestleMania and Rhodes’s Determination
At WrestleMania 41, held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Cody Rhodes was defeated by John Cena, who secured his 17th WWE World Championship that night. Rhodes opened up about this loss during an interview on Grave Conversations, expressing his passion for wrestling and excitement about returning to Las Vegas for WrestleMania 42.
“Well, I mean, for me, the thing that’s always made me feel most alive and now more than ever, really just the fire is not even close to being out. I love pro wrestling. I love sports entertainment. I love WWE. The fact that we’re heading towards WrestleMania again in Las Vegas, and the idea that I lost at Allegiant Stadium. You’ve got 50 to 80,000 people at these events two nights in a row. To perform in stadiums as a wrestler who watched you I talking about my first match in front of maybe you know generously 60 people to be in front of stadiums,”
Cody Rhodes’s determination to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship will be tested at WrestleMania 42, where a victory against McIntyre could restore him to the top of WWE.
Potential Impact and What to Expect Moving Forward
The main event featuring Rhodes and McIntyre at WrestleMania 42 is already generating significant anticipation among wrestling fans, especially with the possibility of Jacob Fatu’s involvement adding complexity to the match. As a marquee event, WrestleMania 42 will be a pivotal moment in shaping the future storylines of WWE’s championship scene. Rhodes’s journey from loss in Las Vegas last year to a potential title reclamation reflects the emotional narrative driving the event, promising intense competition under the bright lights of one of wrestling’s largest stages.
